The three pillars of employee experience and why startups need to take a closer look

Startups must supplement high business growth with thought to employee and workplace experience. When the two aren't aligned, employees can feel neglected and lose sight of the company’s goals.

This summer, I’ve had the pleasure of interning at a high growth startup called Barn2Door. The Company empowers Farmers to sell food directly through online channels to engage their local communities. Since joining three months ago, Barn2Door has grown from 20 employees to now 27. The Company is on pace to double by year end, which creates a lot of  energy in the office as new employees onboard. Being comfortable in an uncomfortable environment is NOT easy. But in the face of discomfort, a well thought out workplace experience can ease the discomfort, help new employees integrate, and encourage employees to stay grounded.

It takes foresight and empathy to acknowledge the discomfort that comes with growth. Employees succeed when they are aware of how and why the workplace tailors to them. Companies succeed when employees come to work motivated day in and day out. It's easy to see why it’s essential to focus on employee experience as companies evolve and scale - it encourages productivity for the company and professional growth for the employee (a win-win). 

Workplace experience boils down to three main pillars: Doing, Seeing, and Feeling. Each idea covers different aspects of how employees interact with their respective workplaces. These topics circle back to how workers feel and what companies can change to better enable employee experience.

• Doing: Is the workplace enjoyable? Does the office enable and promote people to collaborate, share information, and be productive?

• Seeing: Does the workplace contribute to a positive public image of the company? Do employees see evidence of the Company mission?

• Feeling: Do the workplace and activities within it make employees want to recruit their friends and colleagues to join the Company? Is the workplace something that employees are proud of?

At Barn2Door, Doing looks like open office space that enable employees to finish individual work and collaborate with others in communal areas. Seeing looks as simple as weekly Farmer spotlights showcasing real Farmers we help. Feeling at Barn2Door is management’s willingness to engage and listen to everyone’s thoughts, in regular meetings (daily, weekly, monthly) and through informal company-wide social events (e.g. “Thirsty Thursdays”). 

I urge you to think of your own organizations with these ideas in mind. How do you feel about your organization? Does it enable you to be your best self and contribute to the organization? And, how can these realizations push workplace experience forward in tandem with growth? If you happen to be in management, take a moment to not only ask yourself these questions, but pose these questions to your employees. Find out how you can further enable your employees, that’s growth too.